1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to mixing techniques and devices. More particularly, the present invention relates to a method and apparatus for mixing a highly viscous fluid mass by altering the flow pattern of a viscous fluid stream so as to generate interfacial surfaces in the fluid mass.
2. The Prior Art
The thorough mixing of extremely viscous material has been a problem of considerable commercial concern. One approach to mixing viscous materials involves transporting a viscous fluid mass through a conduit containing baffles or other obstructions which serve to split the stream of fluid materials flowing through the conduit, effectively spreading the stream out and creating a large surface area, and then combining the streams again in an overlapped type of relationship so as to provide relatively efficient mixing without turbulence and independent of the flow rate of the reacting stream. Typical of such devices are those described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,239,197 and U.S. Pat. No. 3,664,638, for example. Among the deficiencies of the type of mixing devices just mentioned are the relatively large pressure drops associated with extensive internal baffles and the difficulty of cleaning such devices particularly when the fluid mass is a highly reactive material such as a thermoset resin which rapidly sets and cures into a solid mass.